Does the GMAT have to be taken 20 days before the deadline?

[cleantech]

Hello!
Since the GMAT takes 20 days to report to the school, does that mean that it has to be taken 20 days before the deadline to make sure that the report arrives on time?

[mp2437]

I don't think so. I know students who applied on the deadline and took GMAT 2 days before. They just update the GMAT score in the application, and when the adcoms review your application, they check the reported score in their system.

[brianm]

Most schools require you to take the GMAT on or before the deadline. I emailed Berkeley about this because my AWA would not be in before the second deadline (when I am applying), and they said as long as I completed the test before the deadline it would count, even if the AWA wasn't in yet. Like mp said, they will update your app when they get the final score reported.

[ultraeasy]

It depends on the school. Most you just need to take it sometime before the deadline date or on the deadline date. UCLA is the only one that I know who has a published GMAT deadline date that is a few weeks before the application deadline.